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Should anti-tobacco education include e-cigarettes?

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Thursday, March 16 the Senate will vote on a bill that would add e-cigarettes to state initiatives preventing tobacco use.

Right now the state Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program provides various education and training programs, monitors compliance with cigarette and smoking laws, and tracks data on tobacco use. SB 209, the bill up for a vote next week, would allow the program to cover e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine as well as traditional tobacco products. 

Bill supporters note that e-cigarette use is growing rapidly among youth, despite the harmful effects of nicotine on brain development. They argue that the state needs to educate the public about the danger of e-cigarettes, which many still believe are a harmless alternative to other tobacco products.

Bill opponents argue that e-cigarettes are fundamentally different from traditional tobacco products, and they shouldn't be lumped together in education or enforcement initiatives. Some traditional cigarette users are even able to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking.

The Senate killed a very similar bill last year. 

Do you think e-cigarettes should be added to NH's anti-tobacco educational campaigns? Leave a comment below to join the discussion, and we'll present your thoughts to legislators considering this bill. Only comments from NH residents will be counted, so please indicate if you are from NH in your response.

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